Pipe-nipple holder.



No. 851,137. PATENIED APR. 23, 1907.

' R. E. MANLEY.

PIPE NIPPLE HOLDER,

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1006. v

wuwmu I I I Q 7 I ROBERT E. MANLEY, OF HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-NIPPLE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April. 23, 1907.

Application filed January 19, 1906. Serial No. 296,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. MANLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hanover, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-NippleHolders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had. to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures andletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to devices for holding short sections of pipeduring the threading operation to form pipe nipples.

In forming pipe nipples, it is customary to thread one end of a sectionof pipe, then cut off a portion thereof of a length corresponding to thedesired length of nipple and subsequently thread the end of said sectionnot previously threaded. With the appliances heretofore in use,difficulty has been experienced. in holding the short section of pipeduring the second threading operation, particularly where a short or allthread nipple is to be formed, owing to the liability of the pipe tocollapse or be deformed or have its thread mutilated by the holdingdevices, or on the other hand, where held securely and safely,difficulty has been experienced in releasing it from the holding deviceswithout causing deformation or mutilation of the threads.

The present invention has for its object to overcome the difiicultiesbefore mentioned, and to provide a device which will securely and safelyhold sections of pipe previously threaded, of any length, and at thesame time permit of the ready release of the complete nipple withoutdeformation or mutilation; a further object of the invention being toprovide a device of this character which may be readily handled with theordinary plumbers appliances and which may therefore constitute a partof the plumbers kit and be well adapted to be carried about withhim inthe performance of his duties.

The invention consists primarily, in a stock adapted to be held inanordinary pipe vice and carrying at one end a nipple holding sleeveadapted to be locked against rotation with relation to the stock, thearrangement being such that the nipple held. by the sleeve may beloosened by first releasing the sleeve from the stock and then rotatingthe sleeve and nipple with relation to the stock.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nipple holding device embodying thepresent im provements, the nipple being shown separated therefrom andthe locking sleeve in dotted lines in its release position. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the device with. a short section of pipeheld therein from. which a nipple is to be formed. Fig. 3 is a similarview showing the completely formed nipple but with the parts of theholding de vice in such position that the nipple may be readily removedtherefrom.

Like lettersof reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the device illustrated, the stock Ais shown in the form of acylindric sh aft which may be readily clamped at its rear end in anordinary pipe vice. At its forward end is a head A of somewhat greaterdiameter than the shaft, said head being externally threaded for thereception of a nipple holding sleeve B through which the head may bescrewed, or the sleeve screwed. upon the head, so that the outer face ofthe head may be adjusted to form a cavity in the sleeve of greater orless depth according to the length of the previ ously formed thread onthe section of pipe. The outer end of the sleeve B is preferably formedwith a taper thread conforming approximately to the taper usually formedin pipe fitting work, this taper thread being also preferably a freethread, so that the section of pipe will readily screw into and out ofthe same when not bound by striking the end of the head or stock.

To provide a convenient means whereby the sleeve B may be locked againstturning with relation to the stock, a lock sleeve D is mounted on thestock in rear of the head A so as to slide longitudinally, but is itselfheld against rotation on the stock by a spline and groove D. The rearedge of the sleeve B and forward edge of the lock sleeve D are formedwith teeth or shoulders sufiicient in number and size to afford therequisite strength and at the same time permit of full engagement witheach other when turned through a short angle with relation to eachother, whereby the nipple holding sleeve may be locked against turningin practically any position IIO - section of pipe to form the nipple.

both longitudinally and angularly on the head A.

With a device of this character the operation of forming a nipple is asfollows; The section of pipe previously threaded at one end and cut tothe desired length, is screwed into the sleeve B until a fairly accuratebut somewhat loose fit is secured, when the sleeve B and section of pipeare together rotated until the end face of the head of the stock abutsagainst the end of the pipe, at which point the sleeve B issecurelylocked by advancing the locking sleeve and causing the teeththereon to engage the teetlf on the sleeve B. Further rotation of eitherthe nipple or the nipple holding sleeve is obviously prevented and theusual threading appliances may then be employed for cutting the threadupon the outer end of the After the nipple is threaded, it may bereadily released byfirst sliding the locking sleeve back along the stockand then rotating the stock and sleeve B slightly with relation to eachother to back the stock away from the nipple when it will be found thatthe nipple is free and may be screwed out of the nipple holding sleevewithout difficulty.

To facilitate the release of the nipple, or the rotation of the nippleand nipple holding sleeve with relation to the stock after the finalthreading operation, a rotary washer F may be mounted on the end face ofthe head of the stock as by a central screw f, and the rear face of thewasher and forward face of the head may be so formed that contactbetween the two occurs only at the center, thus the frictional area isreduced and smooth bearing surfaces are provided for moving upon eachother during the initial releasing movements between the stock andnipple. While this washer may be dispensed with, its employment isadvantageous inasmuch as the end of the section of pipe is usually roughand where allowed to contact directly with the face of the stock or headwill cause undue wear on the latter and the two surfaces will to someextent tend tolock together and prevent the sleeve B from being backedoff of the stock to release the nipple.

' The device, it will be noted, is very simple, has no delicate partsliable to be broken, and is altogether a device well calculated towithstand the rough usage and hard wear to which plumbers appliances areordinarily subjected. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a nipple holding-device, the combina tion with the sleeveinternally threaded from end to end and adapted for the reception of thepreviously threaded section of pipe from which the nipple is to beformed, of the stock having the externally threaded head adjustable inthe sleeve and forming an abutment for the inner end of the nipple, anda locking sleeve cooperating with the rear end of the nipple holdingsleeve to prevent rotation of the latter on the stock, said lockingsleeve being movable longitudinally but held against rotation on thestock.

.2. In a nipple holding device, such as described, the combination thestock, the externally threaded head on said stock, the rotary washer onthe end of said head, there being a reduced bearing surface between thewasher and head and the internally threaded nipple holding sleeve intowhich the head screws, said sleeve being formed with threads in itsouter end and with holding teeth on its inner end, of a locking sleevehaving holding teeth adapted to cooperate with those on the nippleholding sleeve and mounted to slide on the stock in rear of the head,and means for preventing the rotation of the lock-ing sleeve withrelation to the stock; substantially as described.

ROBERT E. MANLEY.

Witnesses:

SHARON E. SMITH, EUGENE B. SMITH.

